Can-closing machine.



c. M. SYM'ONDS. CAN CLOSING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 7| 1908.

934 37 1 Patented Sept. '14, 1909.

2 sums-sum 1;

WITNESSE5 INVENTOR G. M. SYMONDS.

CAN CLOSING MAGHINE.

APPLIGA'IION FILED NOV. 7, 1908.

934,371, Patented Sept. 14,1909.

2 SHBETS-SHIEIIEIT 2.

WITNESSES o wv .NTOR

- ous steps of applyingthe can cover and closurrsn sci-ar as rerun ries- CLARENCE M. SYIVIONDS, or sen ANSELMO, CALIFORNIA.

eAu-oLosINs MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that L. GLAREXCE M. Sitar-- owns, a citizen of the United States, residing atfian Anselmo, in the county of Harm and State of California, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Can-Closing Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates" to machines of a character used to close or seam ordinary cans. which have been filled "with suitable mate'rial, and relates particularly to ma chines for hermetically sealing the tops of the cans. r

It is an object of my invention to provide a simple, continuously operating automatic machine for rigidly and hermetically forming a seam or joint between the can top and the can. Y

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine which, during the-operation of seaming or sealing the-cap to the can,

will-reduce to a minimum the usualwaste. of cans, and also to minimize the spilling of the contents from the can;

Another object is to provide a machine of this character, of extreme simplicity, and one requiring little power to operate as is possible.-

My invention COREQI'lSPS the elements, and the construction a thCOlllbllltliiOll of parts as will he set forth in'the specification and claims, and which is shownin the accompanying drawings.

-Figure 1 shows acan, with the cap in position-to be snapped on. Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section. Fig. 3 is a detail showing a top feeder and latch. Fig. is a detail ofa die and operating cam. Fig. 5 is a frontelevation of themachine, partly in section. Fig. 6 is a partial plan showing the platen and feed bar. Figs. 7, 8 audit illustrate sectional detail-s showing the variing the seam between the coverv and the'can body.

I I have shown in Fig. l a can of the nature which itis desirable to close or seal in this machine. The can 2 may be of anysuitable cross section, either cylindrical or polygonal. and has .atits upper; edge a curved annuh flange 3, over which is adapted foil. *1 snapped, the cover 4C. which has a downwardly bent flange interlocking with the flange Eliot the can2.

tion of the machine.

Heretofore in machines used for the purpose of sealing the tops of' can bodies. it has been the custom to either rapidly revolve the can between dies, thereby closing the seam, or to hold the can body in a. fixed position, and have the dies revolveaboutit. In the first instance,- when the can is revolved rapidly. a great deal of thecontents is overthrown, resulting in soiling the machine generally. and in leaving quite an air-space in the can after it has been topped. aside from other annoying conditions. In the latter case, where the dies are revolved about the can, this requires a large, cumberson'ie. power-consuming, complicated machine, and it is for the purpose of overcoming these various. detrimental features that I design a machine of very simple construction and operation.

-The Carts 2, with the covers snapped on them, are brought from the carrier of the exhaust box directly on to the continuous runnii'ig feed belt 5, which carries the can in front of the feed bar 6. adapted to be reciprocated by cam T, and its associated train of lever 8, link 9; crank-lever l0. link 11 and lever 12, and link 13. v

The link 9 has secured to it a collar H. beneath which is seated upon a collar l5. a

spring 16; the lower end of the link 9 being.

provided with a slot 17. which allows the cam '7 to depress the rod 9 without actuating the crank-lever 10. should this crank-lever be lot ked against oscillation .during the operalhen a can has been fed in front of the feed -b ar 6, it is thereby pushed forward on to a platen orv bed 18 by which it is raised until the upper end is approximately contiguous to the elosablc jaws or dies 19-. and under the plungerQO; and having assumed this position the dies 19are forced inwardly .closedand held around the can by means of cam bars 21 which are reciprocated in slides upon the sides of the machine. by means of cams 22. Theconvergent or funnel shape of the upper part of the die 19 receives the periphery of the can cover which has been loosely snapped upon the edge of thecan, and as the can fitsthe lower part ofthe al-* ready closed die, the cover will be centergal and positioned with relation to the can. so

" dammit-sure the edge beingaccurately placed within the dow-n'turned edge of the can when the two are forced together. I f

Immediately following the inward stroke of the diesltl, the pli'inger 20 is forced down- Specification of Letters?atent. P tent d Sept. 14., 19619". Application filed-November 7, 1908. Serial NofitfiLGO'.

no]. which bounds the central opening. be-

tween opposed dies, the bottom of said channel terminating above the bottom of thedie and beingcurved whereby when the lower edge of the rim 1 strikes this curved portion the latter causes the ed e of the cover to curl inwardly and upwardly, tucking it under the outwardly and downwardly turned edge of the'canbody. The plunger 20 is then 'raised slightly, allowing the platen 18 to raise the can out of the hook formed in the upper. die. This slight uplift of the platen is caused by a spring .24 which surrounds the spindle'25 of the platen 18; this spindle projecting downwardly in a suitable guide formed in the base of the machine.

At 26 is shown the collar supporting the Spring 24, and loosely mounted on the spindie 25. The collar 26 has projecting lugs 27 seated in the arms of a yoke 28 formed upon the outer end of a-,lever 29. This lever is operable -'by means of cam 30' through connecting lever and link, 31 and 32 respectively.

A spring 33 secured to the lever 29, approximately at the yoke 28, serves to normally draw the platen to a downward'position, and maintain the roller carried by lever '31 in contact with the cam 30, cams T, 30, 37 and 4:3 all being scouted on adriven shaft Immediately following the opening of dies 1'9, the plunger descends sufficiently to force the can and cover into a lower set of dies 3i which are, closed and rigidly held, and compresses the seam made by the previous dies, until it is practically liquid and air-tight. These dies are then opened, and the can, still resting upon the platen 18 is carried downwardly thereby, into its originalposition,

. level with the feed belt 5, and the can then forced off the platen 18 by means of an ejector 35, operated by suitable connections,

as lever 36 with a cam 37 a spring 38 nor mally keeping the'lever in contactwith the cam. The closed can is then carried from the ,inachine by any suit-able or desired form of convcyer, here shown as a belt 39.

The cans being fed in on the belt 5, one behind the other, will force the locking detent 4t) outwardly,releasing the feed bar 6, thereby allowing it -to be reciprocated or forced inwardly by its actuating cam 7, the lock 40' being secured or fitted to the machine frame in'sttch a manner as to be normally forced lnwardly by a spring 41 so as to engage the front edgeof the feed bar 6. Thus, when a can is fed inwardly in position to be pushed forward on to the platen 18, the can body engages the detent 40, compressing the spring 41, which releasesthe feed bar 6; and, in its proper sequence, the cam '7 will force the feed bar inwardly against the can which is carried thence on to the platen 18.

Secured to one side of the feed bar (5 is a lug 42 which is adapted to intercept the next succeeding can and prevent it from being pushed in further along, or toward the lock 40, while a can. is still under the punch or die 20. p 1

Upon the retraction of the feed bar 6 and the discharge of the seamed can, the next successivecan will then be allowed to feed into position at front of the feed bar 6, releasing the detent 40, and again the feed bar may be reciprocated.

' Any suitable well known means may be used to reciprocate the plunger 20, and I have here shown an ordinary cam li-3 of suitable contour, adapted to engage with a roller 44 carried in the upper end of an ad'- j ustable stem 45 of the plunger 20. A spring 46 normally maintains the roller in position against the cam through the lever 47.-

I have shown the cam bars 21 which operate the seaming dies 19 and 34, as provided with flanges 48. These flanges are soarranged or formed as to present a curvilinear surface which slides between rollers carried on the dies 19 and 34; thus when slide bars 21 are pressed downwardly by cams 22, a portion 4C9 of the flanges 48, first forces the dies 19 inwardly around the can. Further downward motion of the slides 21 causes a retraction of the dies 19 by ineans of a recess v50in the cam bar flange i8, and following inward motion of the dies .34 in close sequence. Obviously, the retraction of the cam bars 21 will return the dies 19 and 34: to their normal open position as shown.

I have shown an' attachment for the machine to be used in instances where the contents of the cans have not been previously processed, and in which case the covers have not yet been placed over the cans. This attachment comprises a bracket 51', and a carriage mounted on and operable with feed bar 6; the carriage 52 being arranged to receive the covers 4, which may be fed in, in-any suitable manner; and when the feed bar 6 is carried inwardly,"the cover is deposited upon the dies 19, and the cans 2 raised into position to be operated on by the dies 19 and 34. The lifting. ofthe can 2 will cause it to engage the cover/i, when it will then be snapped over the can 2., and seamed as heretofore described.

, 'In generalthe' operation of this machine will beflas 'follows:' The cans which are means of the; punch .i-The puneh is their raised lsnllicientlytoallow-thecantobe d raised item the die'g19, said dies being re tra'cted to allow thecan to'be depressed be tweemthem when the punch again descends,

forcing the can into intimate. contact-Withth'e dies 3i. 'ihese dies are'then retracted, t'he can loweredhinto the level of the dis-;

chargebelt 39,- and the can discharged from-- the machine by means of the' eje'ctor 35;

' Uanifjestly. the structure shown. may; be varied to 1 a da arious sizes, and section'al'shapes, andother changeeas expedienttmay bemad I and still ;=be it-hini the scope of the claims".

Patent is-1=- 1. In 21,. can closing apparatus, the comopening; the entranceto 'saidchannel having- {1 a, downwardly, converging Wa1l,-f0r centering the can-covenxandthebottomof the,

annel being curved in cross sectiong n'leans for slightly. elevating the can-body relatively tothe'die; and means for open ng the dies.

Ina can; closing; apparatus, the com-1v ldiameterthan the can body andsaid channel having an. outwardlyidiv'erging wallfat' the top for centeringith'eiloose can head and ac-urx ed Wall at theb'ottom, a plunger oper able in line with thecan'body an'da'dapt-ed to force-a cove-r between the dies',-Whi1esaid' diesare. closed-,; sa1d' cover havln an 1out-' wardly and-downwardly extending rim adapted to be first brought into contact with the 'i'uclinedwall of the channel in the dies to thereby force the rim inwardly toward the'can body. and the curved bottom of'the channel adapted to curl the edge of the rim into the plane of a corresponding portion on the can body whereby the cover and body interlock.

3. In a can'closing apparatus, the com-,-

bination' of a reciprocating plunger, opposed dies axially underlying the same and be' tween which a can body-is adapted to be held, said dies-having an annular-channel sm'rolu'uiling the central opening which receives the can body and said channel having a part of its Wall straight and apart in-' clined and adapted to receiveandinwardl center the cover and force di erting-thereof pt-the machine to cans" at p Haying thus described my invention, 'iyhat I "cla m. and desn'e/to secure by Lett-er'sp T therethrough into position between-the closed bination of reciprocating plunger, dies b'elow .the plunger, and between which the can body isjguid'ed, said dies having-Jan annular channel which circumscribes theirycen'tral ard and 3; ieu ard the rim of a cover, the bottom of-sa'id channel merging into the said straight wall d, h ine... nqeved wmi yand adap "'45; In I a c osmg, apparatus, the .combination of a vreciprocatingplunger having an end to enga es: can cover, "superposed pairs-of parallel dies, means for. operating the uppermost dies to cause them to grip a can body'therebetween, said upper dies-having an en1ai"gedchannel circumscrib-ing. their central opening adapted .toguidethe bente flange ofa can head and direct-the samein-q Wardly toward the can.body,'fthe' bottom of said. channel adapted to-curl said flange so that it will interlock With- ,a similar, flange on the can body, meansfor retracting the 5 members of the uppermost die toallow the plunger to "force the can. body j'and head lower dies, toico'm lete' the locking of the- 'f c'o'ver tot'he'can bod ylj .f --9'.0 "'5, In an apparatus 0f 'the character; de- 5 scribed the combin ation, of superposedpzirallel dies, each comprising opposed members 'adapted't-oreceive a can body therebetween,

a plunger adapted to position a can headrelative to the can body, means for"clo sing theiupper dies. on a can-body, said ,upper dies having an enlarged channel to permitv the loosely fitted can'cover to be centered and-placed in an'jint'erl'ockab'leposition rela-' tive to the canbody flange, means, for opening'the' upper die to allow'the plunger to forcethe can axially through the die {and 1' between'the cl sed members of the lowerdie',

to complete the locking the cover-bio the b dy-f' 6. can closing .machine, thec0m-- bination of a superposed 'pairof closed dies, a onepair of which partially: closes the. seam between the-"can andcan coVer,--ia nd thegllfl othrpairis adaptedto embrace the-canv v bodyto' which the cover is loosely interlock-- ably attached, and a pressure device adapted .to force theljoint between the canfibody and cover into oonstricte'dwal'ls of the ilowerdie llb to thereby compress the 'jointan'd lock the cover to-the can body.- 5 '7I II1 a can cover securing apparatus, a reciprocating plunger, means. y which the plunger is actua-ted to press upon the can cover, pairs of closed dies, means bywhich said-dies are successively closed and'retained closed, While the cover is curled and double seamed uponmthe can top, a platen upon. which the can is supported, means by which said platen is successively raised and 'de: pressed with themovem'ent's of -thefplunger, and means by which the platen andcanmay be finally depressed toL-a, ,d schargepos'ition.

8. In an;.apparatusofethe?.Ghaiacten de'-. 1

scribed, a horizontally traveling carrying belt, a platen, means by which the cans are delivered .upon said platen, means for-rais the can head upon the --body.in two stages,

said plunger forcin the "can body with its attach-ed cover axially through one pair ofi dies to a positionbetweenfthe' opposed members the dther die, means by which-the platen and :can are subsequentlydepressed, and a carrier upon .which ,the cans are de: livered 'forremoval. I g

9. In an apparatus of the character described," 11 can supportor platen, a plungerada'pted to contact with the can 'head, a 'yieldingsupport for, the platen, means by which the plunger and .--can' are depressed, closed "dies. by jvh'ich the calrliead is 7 par-- tially'compressed upon the can, means for releasing, the plunger pr'esse'r, and-raising the platen and the can,a second series or dies beneath the first ones, meansby which the plunger and platen are subsequently depressed; to placethe can headbetween said second set of dies, means by which said-dies areretained closed to finish the compressing of'the can-head 'sea1n,-1nean s for again .depressing the platen an'dcan' belo'w the dies, and delivering .the can upon the discharge conveyor.

10. in an apparatus of the character described, a horizontally traveling can carrier, a platen or .support upon which-the cans are successively delivered, a locking detent by which the cans are prevented ffrom' ad-- vancingupon the platen. a- .feed bar, means for releasing said barhy the action of the detcntwherchy the cans. are advanced upon the platen, and means carried by the. feed. bar to arrest; the movement of the succeeding can.v v v '11. 'In an apparatus of the character de-' cribed, a can support, a reciprocating plunger adapted to engage the can cover,'. mo "able; dies coacting with the plunger to C1050 the sea 1 n,' reciprocating bars-by which the dies are 'closed'and held closed, while the cover and can are forced into them to curl carrier. for cans, a' receiving support or platen, a feed bar by'whlch the cans are'successively placed thereon, a carriage arranged to receiy'e can covers, means by which the sup-port and Fans are elevated, a plunger with which the can covers contact. when raised, whereby they are first intcrlockml with the top of the can meansby which the plunger and can- 'are"then' depressed, dies which are held closed while c'oac't-iug with the plunger to partially closethe seam when the plunger and can are depressed,.,1 neans vby which said dies are separated, 'a second set 'ofi'dies, means. by which they are held closed to, finally complete the scam,- andmeans by which the diesare separated to' allow the can to be finally depressed to discharge posit-ion.

13. In acan closing machine, the combination of two sets of independently mounted automatically closed dies, and a pressure device co-acting therewitlnone set of said dies adapted to partially close the scam between the can and can cover, and the other set of dies having constricted walls adapted-to on] brace the-can body to which the cover is loosely, interlockably attached, said pressure device operating through the dies progressively and adapted to force. the. joint between the can body and cover into the said constricted walls of the second set of dies to thereby con'lpress the joint and seal the cover to th'ecan body.

In testimony whereof I have hereuntoset my'handin presence a two subscribing CLARENCE M. SYMQNDS.

Witnesses CHARLES- A. PENFJELD,

CnAnLEs EDELnA-N. 

